Late at night, Lin Yaochen and Luo Yan slept soundly. Inside the tent, only the faint rhythm of their breathing could be heard.
The campfire had burned low, leaving only a few threads of ember-red glow. Mozi crouched nearby, eyes half-lidded, keeping silent watch over the night.
Then—soft footsteps approached.
Ge Zhiyao, wrapped in an outer cloak, walked over from the edge of the tent and stopped before Mozi. Her eyes glimmered faintly in the darkness—hesitant, yet resolute.
"You're not sleeping?" Mozi opened one eye, his voice rough and low.
"I have something I want to say." She paused, then spoke softly. "About me."
Mozi opened both eyes fully, sensing the shift in her aura, and straightened his posture.
"I… am the Golden Yao."
The moment those words fell, the night wind stirred. The embers snapped with a pop, as if startled awake.
"The Yao Disc didn't react to me because my Yao power was sealed." She lowered her head, fingers clenched into fists. "My father… sealed my Yao meridians before everything happened, to protect me. He wanted me to escape like an ordinary person—so Marquis Yao's people wouldn't discover me."
She lifted her gaze to Mozi, her tone steady. "You're a high-rank spirit beast. I know you must have a way… Please help me. Help me break the seal on my power."
"Why tell me now?" Mozi's voice remained calm as always, but there was a note of probing beneath it.
Ge Zhiyao took a slow breath, her eyes clear. "Because I want to save my father—save my clan who are still trapped in Golden Yao Valley. But I can't do it alone…" Her gaze flicked toward the tent, and her voice softened. "These past few days… I've come to know you aren't the kind of people who would covet my power. You aren't like the Marquis Yao—those who climb upward for selfish gain no matter the cost. So I choose to trust you."
Mozi fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, his voice deep and steady. "Breaking the seal will hurt. And there's a risk you could lose control."
Zhiyao nodded. "I'm ready. If there's even a chance to rescue them, I'll pay any price."
The firelight trembled again, illuminating the stubborn set of her features.
Mozi held her gaze for a long time, then finally nodded. "Tomorrow night, find a quiet place. I'll unseal you." His tone grew heavier. "But be prepared. Once the Golden Yao awakens, you won't be living only for yourself anymore."
A spark lit in Zhiyao's eyes. She nodded hard.
"I never have."
The Next Day
The three of them and Mozi chose a hidden clearing surrounded by dense trees. Mozi drew a spirit array on the ground with Yao power—lines guided by Yao runes, the center carved with an ancient sigil representing the Golden Yao. Between the strokes, faint currents of power flowed like threads of light.
"Stand at the center and calm your mind," Mozi said grimly.
Ge Zhiyao inhaled deeply and stepped into the array.
Lin Yaochen and Luo Yan stood at the perimeter, both holding their breath. Luo Yan had never seen the unsealing of Yao power before. Lin Yaochen, feeling the surge more sharply, frowned slightly, his brow tightening.
Mozi moved behind Zhiyao and slowly placed both palms against the center of her back. Pure, spirit-beast Yao power poured into her like a tide.
"It begins," he murmured.
In an instant, the entire array flared with golden light. Zhiyao's body jolted violently, as if something inside her was being torn open—
Her eyes widened. Cold sweat streamed down her forehead. She clenched her jaw to keep from making a sound, fists locked tight.
Memories crashed through her mind—her father designing weapons, her mother's smile on a sickbed, her family surrounded, the night her loved ones were dragged away…
Pain ripped through her, as if molten gold were being forced into her veins. A burning heat surged from deep within, threatening to split her apart.
Lin Yaochen's heart jolted. He took a step forward—only for Mozi to snarl, "Don't move. She has to endure it herself. This is the path every Yao-bearer must walk!"
Luo Yan's fists tightened, his expression heavier than anyone's.
Then, at a certain moment—
BOOM!
A column of golden light erupted skyward. Fallen leaves around the array blasted outward. Ge Zhiyao snapped her eyes open—Golden Yao sigils flashing across her pupils for a heartbeat, brilliant and fierce.
She gasped hard and dropped to her knees, her breathing ragged—but her will unshaken.
Mozi withdrew his power. For the first time, something like respect entered his voice.
"You… succeeded."
Ge Zhiyao nodded slowly. A faint smile lifted her lips, her gaze like steel and flame.
"Now… I can truly protect my family."
Shadow Pavilion, Secret Chamber · Night
Candlelight burned dim and yellow. The room was silent.
Gu Ying, dressed in a dark, light robe, stood before a long table shaped like a dagger. A map lay spread across it. Several routes were marked in red ink, converging at a circled name—
"Liuchuan Town."
She tapped a fingertip lightly on the table. Before her, a listener knelt on one knee, voice trembling.
"Pavilion Master… I tracked them to Liuchuan Town. The target did appear at Juxin Tavern, but…"
Gu Ying didn't turn around. She only said coolly, "She escaped again?"
The listener lowered his head. "Yes… and they seem to have joined forces with another suspicious individual. After the incident, the tavern caught fire. According to witnesses… that person can control flames."
Gu Ying finally turned, her face coldly beautiful, her eyes empty of ripples. "Fire Yao?"
The listener didn't dare answer and pressed his head even lower.
She considered for a beat, then took up her brush and marked an "X" after "Liuchuan Town." Then she issued an order without hesitation.
"Notify Yan Lin. It's his turn to move."
The listener looked up in shock. "Yan Lin? Isn't he still in Beichuan carrying out the 'Severing Shadow' operation?"
"Recall him," Gu Ying said firmly. "Ge Zhiyao's awakened Golden Yao power must be suppressed before the next strike. Otherwise, if we let them continue joining forces…" Her gaze sharpened. "It will become the gathering of the Five Yao."
"Yes." The listener accepted the command and withdrew.
Several Days Later · Mountain Road
On a distant trail, a lean man with eyes like a night hawk walked steadily forward. On his back hung black-iron twin blades. A red ribbon fluttered in the wind.
He was one of Shadow Pavilion's strongest shadow guards—
Yan Lin, code name: "Soul-Cutter."
The next hunt… had already begun.
Forest Mountain Path · Night
The wind moaned low. Leaves rustled.
The three had just finished setting up camp. As Luo Yan prepared to start a fire, Mozi's ears twitched. He turned sharply toward the depths of the eastern woods.
"Something's coming," he warned, his voice carrying a rare gravity.
Lin Yaochen immediately drew his short blade, eyes vigilant. "Shadow Pavilion again?"
"No." Mozi shook his head slowly. "This time… not a mere listener. A real assassin."
Ge Zhiyao's heart jolted. Her power had only just awakened—still unstable. Her hand moved instinctively to the bow case at her waist.
Then the wind stopped.
A man stepped out. He wore dark crimson light armor. His face was pale, his gaze hard as ice. Twin blades clung to his back like shadows.
"Shadow Pavilion—Yan Lin," he introduced himself, voice calm as frost.
"By order… I'm here to take you back, Ge Zhiyao."
Lin Yaochen pulled Zhiyao back a step and whispered, "Where the hell did this guy come from?"
Mozi's eyes steadied. He issued orders fast. "I'll hold him off. You three retreat west toward the mountain pass. Find cover. Don't clash head-on!"
"No!" Zhiyao whipped her head around, eyes set like iron. "Only together do we have a chance to beat him!"
Lin Yaochen grit his teeth, slammed both palms to the ground. Earth Yao power surged from his hands—stones rattled and rose, forming a temporary stone wall.
Luo Yan raised both hands. Flames burst forth, crimson fire coiling around him like a dragon. For the first time, unwavering battle intent lit his eyes.
Zhiyao drew her exquisitely crafted repeating crossbow from her bow case. The silver metal gleamed under moonlight—her own completed weapon, built from the drafts her mother had left behind. She loaded short bolts in swift, practiced motions and took position between Lin Yaochen and Luo Yan, becoming a steady mid-range anchor.
"Left!" Mozi barked.
Zhiyao pivoted and fired three bolts in rapid succession—streaks of lightning that struck the incoming shadow precisely.
Their power was not yet fully matured, but their trust was. Earth built defense. Fire applied pressure. Gold delivered rapid strikes. Together with Mozi, they met the sudden, deadly threat head-on.
Yan Lin moved like a specter. Black like night. Blade light flickering. Each appearance carried killing intent and slicing wind.
Mozi shifted into his true form, silver eyes blazing. He leapt, colliding with Yan Lin head-on. Claws and dagger met—sparks exploding into the dark.
"He's too fast!" Lin Yaochen shouted, slamming his palms down again. Two more stone walls rose, shielding Zhiyao and Luo Yan.
"There's a pattern—he shows himself every three steps!" Zhiyao snapped, catching the rhythm. Her crossbow fired in a continuous burst, trying to seal off his possible flash points.
Seeing his movement constrained, Yan Lin suddenly twisted his footwork. His blade swept sideways—skirting the stone wall as he lunged straight for Zhiyao!
"A-Yao—watch out!" Lin Yaochen yelled.
"Leave it to me!" Luo Yan roared, thrusting both palms forward. A scorching wall of flame erupted instantly—firewaves howling, forcing Yan Lin's blade back half an inch.
Zhiyao used the opening to sidestep and unleash bolts like rain. Her eyes were calm, her wrist precise—rapid-fire shots sealing Yan Lin's retreat.
"You… aren't foolish," Yan Lin murmured. Then he flicked his hand and scattered a handful of black powder.
The world vanished into thick smoke.
"Smoke bomb!" Mozi shouted. "Don't move blindly—he'll strike your weak point!"
"Lock onto him by sound—" Zhiyao adjusted immediately, switching bolts. She fired three resonance arrows.
Shoo—shoo—shoo!
They vanished into the fog. A piercing shriek erupted through the air, echoes rippling across the ravine. Yan Lin was forced to retreat, his body shifting away from the sonic trap.
"Now!" Mozi thundered.
Spirit light condensed into a blade. He leapt up, tearing through the fog, colliding with Yan Lin in a violent clash—
And Lin Yaochen, Luo Yan, and Ge Zhiyao stopped reacting and started hunting, moving with Mozi's rhythm:
Earth Yao shattered the ground. Fire Yao broke the air. Golden bolts struck in triples—
In one perfect coordination, Luo Yan ignited the edge of Yan Lin's cloak, Zhiyao's bolt pierced his shoulder, and Mozi's claw sent him flying back.
Yan Lin stumbled into the trees. He gritted his teeth, gave a cold snort—and chose to withdraw, melting into the night.
The four stood, panting in place. The night wind was cold. The firelight flared again.
"We… actually held him off?" Lin Yaochen sounded stunned.
"No," Mozi said heavily. "We only stopped his test."
His eyes narrowed toward the darkness.
"The real killing blow… is still to come."
But at least tonight—
They had won the first step.